As a DoorDash driver with over 4 years of experience and more than 6,100 deliveries, I have learned many tips and tricks to get more and larger food orders on the DoorDash platform. Applying these strategies has allowed me to maximize my earnings potential.
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Work During Peak Hours
The key to getting more orders is to drive during peak hours when demand for food delivery is highest. These times are usually weekday lunchtimes from 11am-2pm and dinnertimes from 5pm-9pm. Dashing during these high-volume hours means you’ll have more opportunities to receive order requests.
Drive in Busy Areas
In addition to peak times, you’ll want to position yourself in active hotspots and areas with lots of restaurants. The DoorDash app shows a heatmap of the busiest locations so you can see customer demand. Parking near busy restaurants during peak hours is the best way to increase your order volume.
Schedule Ahead of Time
You can secure access to busy zones at peak times by scheduling dashes in advance. Open the Dasher app and book times and locations before they get greyed out from excess drivers. Scheduling ahead ensures you’ll be able to work when and where demand is highest.
Accept Most Orders
While you don’t have to accept every offer, maintaining an acceptance rate of at least 70% will get you more total orders over time. Rejecting too many leads to fewer offers, so accept most orders unless the pay is extremely low or the distance is unreasonable.
Get on the Large Order Program
DoorDash offers a special Large Order Program that gives drivers priority access to high-value catering and large orders. To qualify, you’ll need a catering bag and to reach Platinum Dasher Rewards status by maintaining high ratings and completion rates. Large orders can pay 2-3x more than average, so it’s worth pursuing.
Communicate with Customers
Providing excellent customer service through communication can help increase your tips. Quickly text customers when you’ve picked up their order, are on the way, and when you’ve arrived. Meeting special requests and following delivery instructions also improves customer satisfaction.
Maintain High Ratings
Having high customer ratings and on-time/completion rates keeps you in good standing on the platform and eligible for more orders. Check your ratings frequently and aim for at least a 4.7 average customer rating and 95% completion rate. Good service ensures you’ll stay busy.
Multi-App with Other Platforms
To maximize your delivery efficiency, run multiple apps like DoorDash along with GrubHub, Uber Eats, etc. When it’s slow on one, quickly switch to another to get more orders per hour. Streamlining pickups and drop-offs across platforms helps increase overall volume.
Dash During Bad Weather or Holidays
Inclement weather like rain or snow deters some drivers, creating more demand pressure. Holidays are also extremely busy order days. Braving the elements or working holidays often generates larger order volume and tips.
Applying these 10 tips has helped me tremendously in getting consistent, high-value orders on DoorDash. I hope this comprehensive guide gives you ideas on how to maximize your own delivery efficiency and revenue. Let me know if you have any other questions!
